


Prelude to Fluff

by cheddarbug



Series: Flufftober 2020 [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Children, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Flufftober 2020, Other, Parent-Child Relationship, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:28:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26768023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheddarbug/pseuds/cheddarbug
Summary: Carine has a heartwarming surprise for Nero...<3
Relationships: Nero tol Scaeva/Original Female Character(s), Nero tol Scaeva/Warrior of Light
Series: Flufftober 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1951180
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	Prelude to Fluff

**Author's Note:**

> I really REALLY wanted there to be a costume prompt for this specific piece, but there wasn't one on the official list SO I made it the prelude to Flufftober this year ^^ 
> 
> It's relevant to the first prompt anyway and has been on my mind all day. I hope you enjoy!!!

“You have to keep it on, sweetheart,” Carine pleaded. 

“No! I don’t wanna!”

Nero chuckled.  _ Like mother, like daughter, _ he thought to himself as he sat in his favorite chair in the living room. “I could help, you know,” he offered.

“No. You just keep your eyes shut,” Carine told him. “Please, Marni. You only have to wear it for a minute, I promise!”

“No!”

He could hear Carine sigh in frustration, the surprise she had in store for him not going quite as expected. It was answered by the equally frustrated grunting and huffing of their daughter, who was usually much better at going with the flow than this. 

“If you don’t wear it, Da won’t know who you’re supposed to be,” Carine suggested. “Don’t you want him to know who you’re dressed up as?” When that didn’t lend the response she wanted, she added, “Fine. I’ll give you a piece of candy, but only  _ after _ he’s seen you with it on. Deal?”

This seemed to be the negotiation the little hell-child was holding out for, because the fighting and shuffling between the two of them was quickly resolved. 

Obediently, Nero kept his eyes closed, not wanting to ruin the surprise Carine had apparently had planned for him. If it had been her showing him a costume  _ she _ had picked out, one that might have been a little more risque, he would have indulged himself several times over to see what it was she had on, but this was Marni. He could hold out for anything his daughter wanted to surprise him with. 

“Are you ready?” Carine asked. She’d moved closer and already he could feel Marni crawling up into his lap. 

“Open your eyes! Da! Open!” 

He could not help but to smile at the sweetness of her voice. So eager, so excited. He didn’t, however, appreciate the bouncing that accompanied said feelings. Whatever she was wearing was hard and was likely to leave a bruise if she kept up much longer.

Nero wasn’t sure what to expect when he opened his eyes, but a dragon helm painted maroon red was not at all it. He blinked in surprise taking in the armor, an  _ exact replica _ of his own armor from when he’d been in the XIVth Legion. His heart stuttered, the smile fading from his face just an ilm as he looked to Carine for answers. She simply grinned at him, eyes twinkling with pride as she looked upon the both of them.

“And just who are you supposed to be?” Nero asked, turning back to the little girl in his lap. 

“I’m you, Da!” her high giggle was thankfully muffled by the helm on her head. Not that it lasted long there. Within seconds, she was pulling at it to get it to come off, an endeavor in which she needed her mother’s help. A mess of golden curls fell out of the helm covering her small pointed ears and rich, violet eyes stared up at him along with the widest, sweetest, most beautiful smile in the world. 

He’d barely been able to kiss her forehead before she was wiggling to get out of his lap. He let her go, always conscious of letting her decide when and how long she was held. Carine took her place, lighting upon his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck while they watched her run to the other room. 

“When I asked her what she wanted to be this All Saints Wake, she told me she wanted to be you,” Carine said, leaning against him. 

His heart fluttered and emotion burned at his eyes as he watched his little girl, his  _ magnum opus, _ come back into the living room with a replica hammer just like Mjolnir. Ever the heathen child she was, she began hitting the bloody thing against everything in her way while screaming “I am Iron Neroooo!”

He had done a great many terrible things in his lifetime, but if there was one thing he did right, it was her.


End file.
